Hurrah for Egypt

January 29, 2012

Editor’s note: Uri Avnery is one of the most courageous leaders of the Israeli peace movement and Tikkun is honored to print and send out his articles. As with articles we select for the magazine and articles we print on our website, we don’t always agree, but we are always stimulated to think in new ways by these authors. In Uri Avnery’s case, we can’t recall anything recently with which we’ve disagreed, so this is more a statement of our principle than a comment on this piece, which we found very important and a true reflection of the spirit of Embracing Israel/Palestine (which you can order at www.tikkun.org/nextgen/eip.

THEPARLIAMENTconvenedafter60yearsofmilitaryrule,whichalsostartedwithabloodlessrevolution.Eventhedespisedking,Farouk,whowasoverthrownonthatdayinJuly1952,wasnotharmed.Hewasbundledintohisluxuriousyachtandsent off toMonteCarlo,theretospendtherestofhislifegambling.

“Nasser”,asmostpeoplecalledhimforshort,wasnotaborndictator.Helaterrecountedthatafter the victory of the revolution,hehadnoideawhattodonext.Hestarted by appointingaciviliangovernment,butwasappalledbytheincompetenceandcorruptionofthepoliticians.Sothearmytookthingsintoitsownhands,andsoonenoughitbecameamilitarydictatorship,whichlastedand steadily degenerateduntillastyear.

AFTERANWARSADAT’Shistoricvisit to Jerusalem,IwasoneofthefirstfourIsraelistoarriveinCairo,Forweeksweweretheheroesofthecity,lionizedbyoneandall.EnthusiasmforpeacewithIsrael gave rise to acarnivalmood.Onlylater,whentheEgyptiansrealizedthatIsrael had no intention whatsoever of allowingthePalestinianstoachievetheirfreedom,didthismoodevaporate.

Rabbi Michael Lerner is one of the very few Jewish leaders in the Diaspora who has consistently challenged slavish Jewish pandering to right-wing Israeli chauvinism and messianism, opposed the Occupation of the West Bank and the crimes of many Israeli settlers, supported Palestinian rights and justice for the Palestinian people, called for an end to religious coercion and separation of state and synagogue in Israel, yet has simultaneously retained a strong commitment to the safety and well-being of Israel and the Jewish people. He has been a fierce critic of those who move from legitimate criticism of Israeli policies to illegitimate anti-Semitism or attempts to destroy Israel. His voice needs to be heard by Israelis, Palestinians, and all those who seek peace for the Middle East.

—Uri Avnery, former member of the Knesset and current chair of the Israeli peace movement Gush Shalom

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